So where do you start when you keep getting off track with your blog? I guess you just start from where you are in life.
Lots is always happening in our large family. I am already "unofficially" back at school. Not only am I moving into my NEW school, but our school is also dealing with a poor grade. So there will be a lot more trainings, a lot more work, and a lot more people coming through our school, both from the state & from the district levels.
My classroom is almost ready. I'm in a portable this year & I want the kids to be proud of their room. Many kids dislike being in these plain boxes, and I can't blame them. They can be so drab at times, depending on the age & layout of the portable. A number of people also automatically think ESE kids when they think portables. But I will be having PEP children this year. These are kids who are not retained, but have the same grade level curriculum & need a little slower pace for learning. They also need to catch up. So the portable I'm in is actually probably good for them. Few distractions. There are windows (yes, believe it or not, some older ones don't have windows); however, the windows are up high & about 24 inches in height. The width is what I shall call "3 valances long". At least that's what it took on each side of the room for each long window. I've chosen a cat theme and a calming blue color scheme with some cute denim valances I found at WalMart. They are tab curtains & the closure to the tab is a metal hook device like you find on overalls. So they look very kid-friendly. I also added a corn plant, some pothos, and used two long matching denim curtain panels to pull up to the ceiling & drape down for a "homey" feel in the reading center. Since these kids are usually the ones who are lagging in reading, I want to encourage the reading area as much as is humanly possible. I want them to CHOOSE to go there...to feel the pull of the environment.
I'm also debating on having a "reading pup" come to my room. If you've ever read my blog, you know we not only adopt children, but also have adopted pets. We now have 2 girl greys, 1 boy Iggy, 1 boy poodle, and 1 physically challenged foster girl greyhound pup. And I haven't even covered my daughter's cats. Anybeehoova, the national news touched on the reading dog program last night. I've heard of it before. A calm & patient dog comes to "sit-stay-read" with a child. This program is so successful that the children who are in it are increasing their vocabulary three times faster than kids without the program. So I'm thinking of having one of our dogs come in once a week to "read". (Any thoughts on this, Bea?) Perhaps more on that as I've had time to ponder it...
So as far as school is concerned, I've already hit the ground running, even though I didn't want to. Hence the "discontent" label up above. We, the teachers, aren't supposed to be back to school until this Friday, the 8th. (Students come back on the 18th.) But I've already been working almost daily in my classroom & attended two PTA meetings. Sadly, our parents are not as involved in PTA. I'm not only a teacher, but also the membership chair. We've had some things to consider & discuss besides calendar. I also attended a grade level calendar/curriculum meeting. That one didn't last too long. They didn't realize we have a computer disk with our reading program that maps out our curriculum for the whole year. I was aware of it from my last school. So I gave the disk to them & we rescheduled to a later date when all concerned have had a chance to look at the disk. That brings us to today...the "re-meet". My team will be having lunch together & then going back to school to complete the "language arts" curriculum calendar.
With all that our county/state requires now, teaching is not easy & not as much fun. We have way too many "have to's" or expectations for every curriculum area. Keep in mind I teach ALL core subjects: math, reading, writing, science, social studies. It's mind boggling when I look at all "they" train us to do & want us to do. To get it exactly right, a person would have to be awake 24/7 to make & prepare everything. What does a teacher do anymore? Yes, we integrate, but it doesn't change the amount of work involved. This is the only profession I know that can never truly be left "at the office". Due to lack of planning time & rushed work day, it's a must for teachers to take work home, or you just can't teach properly. And by THAT time, I really don't FEEL up to doing it. I just want to collapse, relax, and forget about anything school-related. With the new school being under close watch, I have indeed wondered what it'd be like to work in another profession....
Well, after today's meeting, it's off to hopefully have some unwinding time. Last chance. I am taking two of my sons (biological) with me to ColorMeMine, a ceramics/pottery shop. We have a special tradition (that began before our teen adoptions) of going there for our last few free moments of summer together, just to relax & create a keepsake of our time out together. I'm looking forward to it. Things like painting, crocheting & knitting leave my mind time to wander & think.
I am just NOT ready to let go of summer....
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